Method and ap-pakattjs fob making pneumatic tibes



May 22, 1 928.

J. R. GAMMETER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PNEUMATIC TIRES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 14, 1927 W T a w w w a w l WW a N u May 22, 1928. 1,670,446

- J. R. GAMMETER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PNEUMATIC TIRES' Filed. Feb. 14, 1927 j 4 eats-Sheet 2 May 22, 1928. 1,670,446-

J. R. GAMMETER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PNEUMATIC TIRES Filed Feb. 14, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IMP/27267 f? (imam/- Ivia, 22, 1928. 1,670,446

J. R. GAMMETER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PNEUMATIC TIRES Filed Feb. 14, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITEE) YATES tamer;

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. GAMMETER, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE B. F. GOODR-ICH COMPANY,

OF NEW "3683K, It". A CORPORATION 015 NEW' YORK.

DIETI-IOD AND APPARATUS FOR IvIAKING PNEUJWIATIC TIRES.

Application filed February 14, 1927.

This invention relates to methods and ap paratus for making pneumatic tires and in some of its features is an improvement upon that 0t my copending application Ser. No. 114,052, filed June 7, 1926, wherein a pneumatic tire is expanded against an enclosing mold by a material in plastic form.

An important object of the present invention is to provide more conveniently and to provide more effectively againstply-separation in a tire expanded by means of a flowablc material in direct contact with the interior surface of the casing, such as occurs when the distending material, passing through one or more of the inner plies of the tire. lifts the other plies therefrom, or when the softening of the heated rubber of the inner plies, after they have been stretched outward in a cool and impervious condition. permits the cords to retract and thus causes apertures to form in the soft rubber and permits the distcnding material to enter between the plies.

Further objects are to avoid the necessity of using a thick rubber coating for the interior surface of the tire such as has been found necessary when the tire is distended by a fluid in direct contact therewith; to

avoid such adhesion of the distendiug material to the tire and to contacted parts of the apparatus as to render inconvenient, expensive or laborious the matter of cleaning ittheretrom; and in general to reduce the e);- pcnse of manufacturing pneumatic tires vulcanizeil in distended condition. Subsidiary objects are to render practicable the use of a comparatively moist and (lo "able distending material and thus to permit conducting the material. into the tire from a comparatively distant supply mass ol" the material under pressure; to reduce the plasticity of a distending material before or during vulcanization, as by lessening its moisture content: and to provide for facilitating the flow ot' the distcnding material through the ap paratus and into the tire and thus to provide a comparatively high pressure of the material within the tire as the result of a given pressure upon the supply mass of the material exterior to the tire.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a section on line 1--1 ofFig. t of Serial No. 167,899.

a tire-building core with a tire mounted thereon and a collapsible chuck or spider tor suppm'ting the core, illustrating certain teaturesot my invention in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a sectional portion of a bull ring for closing the space between the beads of the tire during the molding or during the molding and vulcanizing oi' the tire.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a sectionv portion of a tire-building core of modified form. I I

Fig. l; is a view from the left of Fig. 1 of the assembly there shown, parts being sectioned and broken away.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of vulcanizing equipment. parts being shown in elevation and parts being broken away, the said equipment embodying and being adapted to carry out certain steps of my invention in its preferred form.

Fig. (3 is a vertical section of parts of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5, including a tire mold.

Fig. 7 is a plan view, with parts in sec tion and parts removed, of the assembly shown in Fig. 6. i

Referring to the drawings, the tire is preferably built upon a rigid, sectional, absorbent tire-building core comprising sec iions 10. 11. 1Q, 13 of which each section compriscs a hollow and consequently light inner metal body 14: and outer bodies 15, 15 of porous material such as plaster of Paris secured thereon.

The plaster of Paris, adapted to'receive moisture from a plastic distending material. in the molding ol? the tire, to stiffen the plastic material. is preferably mixed with a suitable proportion of a filler such as Keene I be built in fiat band form and thereafter expanded to tire shape.

The sections of the absorbent core are so formedthat its inner periphery in assembled condition is of substantially greater diameter than the bead diameter of the tire to be; built thereonand the sections are so and .need not further be described.

The core sections 18 to 21 are preferably formed on their end faces with inter-fitting tongues and grooves such as heretofore have been employedin the case o'tcollapsible tirebuilding cores of full section, as indicated at 23,23, to assure proper alignment oft the sections ciremuferentially.

To rest-rain the absorbent core sections 10 to 13 against outward movement and thus to retain them in snugly assembled relation to themetal core sections 18 to 21 the outer, absorbent'core sections are formed at their tread portions with respective longitudinally-disposed grooves adapted to register with each other when the sections are in assembled relation and thus to constitute a complete annular groove 24 in which fits a flexible, annular retaining member such as the chain25, adapted to be flexed for subsequent rem'ovalfltrom a tire built upon the core structure. The chain. 25 is preferably of such link construction, as shown, completely to occupy the groove and thus to avoid pockets of air in a tire built. upon the core assembly; although this is not entirely essentialghas my invention includes other teatures whereby the harmful pocketing of air is avoided.

The inner metal body of each of the absorbent core sections is preferably formed with numerous apertures .26, 26 (Fig. 6), each of'which is covered by a perforate member such as: a piece ofwire netting 27, to admit moisture from the overlying porous material 15 into the hollow interior of the core section. y

The innermetal body portions of the absorbent core sections 10 to 13 are preferably first formed as a single annular casting, having at each plane of division. (between sections an integral. zone of metal of full; section, such as the zone shown at a or at b in Fig. 4, so that the annulus, either before or after the porous material 15 is cast thereon may be, out through on such planes. as at c or d,

Fig. 4, to divide the annulus and thus to provide the sections with metal end faces adapted to intertit in proper planes for the easy removal of the sections from a tire built and vulcanized thereon the section 10, as shown in Fig. 4:, being the key section.

The metal core sections 18 to 21 are adapted to be withdrawn, by means ol. the collapsible spider 17 upon which they are mounted, from a pneumatic tire 28 built upon the core assembly while the absorbent sections are mounted upon the spider as shown in F igs. 1 and 4. so that the tire with the absorbent core sections remaining therein may be transferred to the molding and vulcanizingapparatus.

The said apparatus comprises Figs. 2, 6 and 7, a pair of head molding rings 29, 30 adapted to lit within the beads of the tire and to extend a substantial distance radially on theouter faces of the respective beads of the tire or, as in some numuitacturing plants, the bead. n'lolding rings may be formed integrally with the respectiwi mold sections. The apparatus here shown con1- prises a pair of mold: sections 31., 32 adapt- -d to embrace thetir assembly and the head molding rings and with the latter to enclose the tire assembly.v are formed with respective uniting notches to accommodate the apertm'ed stem 33 of a flexible bead closing ring as. The said ring preferably is composed essentially ot vulcanized rubber and is adapted to lit between the beads of the tire to close the space between them against the escape of a distending material. 'llnrced into the tire through the stem 33, and is. formed on its outer peripl cry with a series of circumiterentially disposed lugs 3 1, 34 which. may be reinforced with fabric or metal and. are adapted to fit into the groove 16 of the series of porous core sections to center the latter in the tire as it is expanded.

Tlieringfl lis preferably 't'ormed at its re spective sides with annular flexible wing portions 35, 35 adapted to seal against the inner faces otthe respective bead portions of the tire, in the manner of a lip gasket, under the force of a plastic distendingmaterial 36.

- The said iuaterial pre'lkniably consists of a suitable comminuted clay plasticized with about l0 to 50 parts by weight of water to parts by weight of clay. I find that the commercial clay known as Atlas ball clay and used as a base in the ceramic industry is highly desirable in that it requires a comparatively small amount of water to plasticize it suliiciently, and l find. that the plasticized' clay with a given content of: water rendered more flowable and yet sets prom pt 1 under waterexpelling pressure when from. 1 to 2 parts by weight of water glass to 100 parts of the clay is added to the mixture and thoroughly dispersed therein. The water-glass consequently permits the use of The molding rings 29..

a relatively small quantity of water, and it also apparently cxpedites the passing of the Water from the clay under pressure.

The head closing ring 3-1: is formed on its outer face with shallow circumferential grooves 37. 87, Fig. 2, adapted to permit a comparatively free flow of the plastic material 86 therein circumferentially of the tire.

The inlet stem 33 of the bead closing ring is provided with a quick detachable coupling 38 for connecting it with a flexible branch pipe 39 leading from an outlet nipple which projects from a section 4.1 of a jointed manifold. preferably at an angle of about to the axis of the said section ll, as shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 6. for easy flow of plastic distending material from the manifold into the branch pipe.

At a position diametrically opposite the inlet stem 33 of the bead closing ring. the bead molding rings 39. 40 are formed to accommodate, and the bead closing ring is provided with. a valve -12 adapted to be held slightly open by a spring t2" to permit air to escape from the annular space between the porous core sections and the bead closing ring as the plastic material is forced into the said space through the inlet stem 33 and is caused to flow circumtercntially. in both directions, from the inlet stem 33 to the escape valve 42, the valve being so held against extensive opening, by a stop pin 4-2", that the valve will be closed to prevent the escape of the plastic material when the latter reaches the position of the hive.

The employment of such means for ridding the tire of air is not of great importance, however. when the porous tire-building core is used, as the core not only tits the tire snugly and thus avoidsthc presence of a large quantity of air within the tire. but also is adapted to receive air forced thereinto by the flow of the plastic material.

In Fig. 5 a plurality of mold assemblies such as that just described are mounted in a vulcanizer 43, the molds being held closed in the usual manner by the ram +14 of the vulcanizer, and the manifold sections tl, 41 of the several mold assemblies are assembled in a stack to form a manifold for conducting the plastic disteuding material 86 concurrently into the tires of the several mold assemblies.

Mounted upon the cover -15 of the vulcanizer and extending downward therefrom into sealed communication with the uppermost manifold section 4'1 is a pipe 456 which is in communication, through a tapered aperture 47 in the vulcanizer cover, with an extruding cylinder 41:8 mounted on top of the cover and provided with a plunger i9 sccured upon the end of the piston-rod ot a hydraulic cylinder 51 which is mounted upon an arched bracket 52 rising from the vulcanizer cover and is provided with suitable flexible pipes 53, M for actuating the piston therein, the said plunger all) being adapted to force the plastic distending material 36 from the cylinder -18 and through the manifold into the interiors of the tires 28 mounted within the mold assemblies.

As alternatives to the vulcanizer here shown various types of vulcanizing equipmcnt. including watch-case vulcanizers, may be employed. and the plastic clay may be conducted to the tires from a large supply mass thereof maintained under constantpressure at a considerable distance from the vulcanizers.

In the operation of the above-described apparatus in the practice of my invention in its preferred form, the chuck Q being collapsed, the absorbent core sections 10 to 13 are assembled, preferably upon a horizontal surface, with the annular chain 25 lying within the groove 2t and encircling them as a set. The annular set of core sections is then transferred to the chuck, the key section 10 being suitably held outward by hand to maintain the core sections in proper relation until the assembly is brought into a \"ertical plane. after which they may be handled by engagement with the key section 10 only without danger of their shifting 'tl'Oll'l their proper relative positions.

hen they have been brought into position about the collapsed chuck the hinged chuck sections .20 and 21 are swung outward into position and the key section 10 is raised in the usual manner while the porous core assembly continues to be supported by hand engagement with key section 10 until the key section 18 of the chuck assembly is su'tliciently extended, whereupon the two sets of 'core members become in effect a single tllt llllllt'lillg' core.

The tire 28 is then built in the usual manner upon this assembled core structure.

The chuc 22 is then collapsed, withdrawing the metal core sections 18 to 21 from the tire and the latter with the porous core sections '10 to 13 therein is removed and the flexible bead closing ring 3 t is mounted between the bead portions of the tire in substantially the position shown in Fig. 6.

The'bcad molding rings 29. 30 and the mold sections 31, 32 in a warm condition, as is usual in production. are then mounted upon the tire assembly as shown in Fig. 6, and a plurality of the mold assemblies are stacked upon the ram 44 of the vulcanizer and connected up with the manifold by means of the flexible pipes the form of the manifold sections ell here shown being such that each section ll of the manifold niav first be connected with its respective mold assembly and the manifold. sections then stacked upon each other in succession ltltl to build up the manifold as; the successive mold assemblies are added to the stack upon the ram 44'. i lVhen the stacks of moldassemblies and manifold section-s are'thus completed (see Fig; 5) the cover 45, carrying the pressure devices above described, is mounted upon the vulcanizer, the pipe 46 beingmated with the uppermost manifold section 41 shown in Fig. 5. p

The apparatus then being as shown in- Fig. 5, the ram 4 9 actuated to drive the plastic material 36 throughthe manifold am ltlirmi gh the several branch pipes 39' into the respective tires contained within their molds.

As the plastic material enters each tire tbrou ll r the inlet stem '33 it first flows in; both "directions in. the circumferential grooves 37,; 3?, driving the air ahead of it, to the escape valve 42. where the ai r escapes from themold: assembly, the valive then closinc; when coi'ltacted by the plastic material and ircvcntiim the escape oi the latter. ll is not essential. that all of the air be thus eliminated from the tire, however, as the injection of the plastic material will drive the residual air'into the porous core.

As the plastic material continues to be forced into the tire through the inlet stem a pressure is built up in the plastic material, causing it to press thebcad closing 34 inwardly and wedge it between the bead mrtions ot the tire tocoinprcss and mold the latter and to anchor them inv position and the injecting pressure upon the plastic material causes it to How upward around the sides oi the core structure and. thus to di tend the tire within the warm mold, which. promptly heats and softens theouter surfaceregion of the tire so that the fibrous elements of the tire are free to expand in true circular section while the rubberofthe tread portion of the tire conforms to the mold. The .vulcani/icr is then charged with steam, further heating the molds.

The inner region of the tire for a time. preferably until the tire is completely expanded and molded, continues to be com.- i'iaratively-cool, so that during the distending' of the tire by the plastic material and the shaping of the softened. exterior of the tire against the mold; the innermost ply of the tire remains impervious, because of its comparatively low temperature, and prevents the. penetration vof the plastic material, or of tluid from the plastic material, into or through the innerplies of the tire.

its the stretching ot the tire is stopped by the enclosing mold a very high pressure is built up in the plastic material as a result of vtorce applied to the plastic material by their r21 l with the rcsultthat moisture pressed out oi? the plastic massv into the porous material 15, as well: as being ab- '1 ,BYGAAS sorbedthere-in. by capillary action, some of it also passing through the perforate members 2'2 into theiniteriors ot the core sections. 'thia: the clay mixture between the core and the tire becomes stiffened by the loss of moispressure applied to the plastic, distendin'g material, the heating of the tire, and the character of the latter should. be so correlated that the tire will be con'ipletely dis-- tended and molded before the plastic mate rial becomes toomuch stiffened for proper flow and before the inner plies ot the tire become-eXcessi-vely softened.

As the plastic material between the core and the tire becomes set or stitlened by loss of moisture it provides a mechanical sup port for holdin the timid, although the plastic material may still contain a considerable amount oat moisture at this stage, and; such n'iecl-ianical supit portprevents retraction of the inner plies when the rubber thcreot becomes softened, and the several.- plies are so held compacted against the mold by the mechanical si-ippo'rt provided by the stiffened distending material. that any steam or moisture within the said material is prevented from penetrating the plies, since the space between the stiflcned diistendingimaterial and the mold is so completely occupied by the the materials under pressure that there is substantially no available space within the structure of the tire wall for such steam or moisture to pass into; The pressure upon the tire mate rials at this stage may be due in part to the swelling of the rubber, although such. swell.-

ing of the rubber is partially compensated by shrinkage rial.

When thetirehas thus been. distended and molded and the plastic material "between the of the stiffened plastic matceore and the tire has been suitably stiffened as described, the vulcanization of the tire may be completed by continuing the steam pressure within the vulcanizer or, alternative- 1y, for economy of mold equipmi-mt, especial ly in the case of thiclcwalledtires, the vulcanizer may be blown down and opened and the tire assemblies with the bead molding rings 29, 3O thereon may be removed from the molds and submerged in hot water and the vulcanization completed; with the hot water, under, high pressure, in direct contact with the exterior surfaces of the tires, the tire assemblies being disconnected from the flexible; pipes 39,, and; the. stittencd condi- 5; the tire distended against Ill) tion of the initially plastic distending material being such as to prevent retraction of the tires.

During Whichever procedure is; followed, the heat reaching the distending material 36 through the tire causes an evaporation and further escape of moisture from the said n'iaterial into the porous material 15 or through the latter into the hollow interiors of the core sections, with the result that when the vulcanization is completed and the tire is re moved from the core assemblies the distendingmaterial is so further solidified and dried that it readily flakes off from the surfaces of the core sections, and also from the inner surface of the tire, leaving the tire and the core sections comparatively clean, so that very little expense is involved in fur ther cleaning thetire or the core as compared with the use of a plastic material which remains plastic during the vulcanization of the tire.

When the vulcanization of the tire is completed the bead molding rings 29, 30, the bead closing ring 34, the core sections 10 to 13 and the chain 25 are removed therefrom, the porous core sections are mounted again upon the spider 2:2, preferably after being dried, and the process as described is repeated.

As the plastic material. remaining in the extruding cylinder, the manifold sections and the flexible pipes is not sufficiently near the porous core to lose very much of its moisture, it remains plastic for injection into the next set of tires.

In Fig. 3 I have shown amodified form of porous or absorbent tirebuilding core consisting of a complete hollow annulus of porous material such as plaster of Paris, which readily may be cast and which may be broken up for removal from the vulcanized tire and the material thereof ground and mixed with suitable ingredients, such as additional plaster of Paris or gypsum, for use in the casting of successive cores.

The porous portions of the core sections shown in Fig. 1 likewise may be ground for re-use when they become damaged.

The core of Fig. 3 is of suitable form to be substituted for the sectional porous core of Fig. l in the above-described building, molding and vulcanizing of the tire. i

My invention is not wholly limited to molding or vulcanizing the tire upon a ti rebuilding core upon which it is built, but such procedure is advantageous, especially with respect to tires of large size, as it avoids the operation of mounting a porous or absorbent member within the tire after it has been built and permits the building of the tire upon a core in accordance with tire-building practices now standard with respect to the large size tires.

the vulcanization of the tire,

Various modifications are possible within the scope of my invention and I do not Wholly limit my claims to the exact procedure or the specific constructions herein described.

I claim:

1. The method of making a pneumatic tire which comprises assembling the tire and a porous member therein, distending the tire by forcing thcreinto a plastic mixture comprising a fluid, and by force applied to the plastic mixture so pressing fluid therefrom .into the porous member as to lessen the plasticity of the mixture.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 in which the tire is so heated through its outer surface that the outer surface region becomes sub stantially softened while the innermost ply of the tire remains sulticiently cool to pre vent substantial penetration therethrough of fluid from the plastic material in the distending of the tire.

3. The method of making a pneumatic tire which comprises building the tire upon a porous core structure, enclosing the tire with the core structure therein in a mold, distend ing the tire against the mold by forcing a plastic mixture comprising a fluid between the porous core structure and the tire, and by force applied to the plastic mixture so pressing liuid therefrom into the porous core structure as to lessen the plasticity of the mixture.

a. Amethod as defined in claim 3 in which the tire is so heated through its outer surface that the outer surface region becomes sublamizdly softened while the ii'mermost ply of the tire remains sufficiently cool to prevent substantial penetration therethrough of fluid from the plastic material in the distending of the tire.

5. The method of making a pneumatic tire which comprises assembling the tire and a porous member therein,,conducting into the tire at one part of its bead circumference a plastic mixture comprising a fluid while venting air from the tire at another part of its head circumference, stopping the Yent, distending the tire by forcing additional material thereiuto. and by force applied to the plastic mixture so pressing fluid therefrom into the porous member as to lessen the plasticity of the mixture.

(3. The method of making a pneumatic tire which comprises assembling the tire and such solid members including a porous member as almost completely to occupy the space therein, distending the tire by forcing thercinto a plastic mixture comprising a fluid and by force applied lo the plastic mixture so pressing l'luid therefrom into the porous member as to lessen the plasticity of the mixture.

7. The method of making a pneumatic tire which comprises building the tire, distending the tire by forcing thereinto a plastic mixture comprising a fluid, and stiffening the mixture by removal of fluid therefrom.

8. The method of making a pneumatic tire which comprises assembling the tire and a porousmember therein, distending the tire by forcing thereinto a plastic mixture comprising a fluid, and stiffening the minture by driving fluid therefrom into the porous member.

9. A method as defined in claim 8 in which fluid is driven from the mixture into the porous member by heat applied to the mixture.

10. The method. of making a pneumatic tire which con'iprises building; the tire, onclosing the tire in a mold, distending the tire against the mold by forcing into the tirea plastic mixture comprising afiliuid, so causing the mixture to set without oomph-etely hardening as to provide substantial mechanical support for holding the tire in its distended condition with its plies compressed against then'iold, and so drivhm fluid from the mixture by heating the saint while maintaining it in comi'i'iunication with a region, of comparatively low fluid pressure as further to harden it.

1.1. A method as defined in claim 10 in which the tire is so l'ieated through its outer surface that the outer surlace region be comes substantially softened While the innermostply oi the tire remains su'llicienlly cool prevents substantial penetration therethroughot fluid from the plastic material in the distending oi the tire.

12. The method. of making a pneumatic tire which comprises building the tire, and distending the same by forcing thereinto a mixture or clay, water and Water-glass.

13. Tire-making apparatus conn n'isingg a porous core member and means for forcing a flowable material between the said member and a tire containing the same.

1st. 'lireanaking apparatus comprising a tireInold, a bead-closing ring adapted to fit between the bead. portions of a tire witlr in the mold and having an inlet passage, a porous core member adapted to lie within the tire, a mass of plastic material, and means for forcing the plastic material through the said inlet passage into the tire.

15.'Tire making apparatus comprising a tire-mold, a bead-closing ring, and a suit stantially 'ri grid cor-estructure unatta ched to the bead-closing ring and adapted to lie within the tire and movable therein with relation to the bead-closing ring.

ere-nee 16. Tire-making apparatus as defined in claim 15 in which the bead-closing ring is deformable.

17. Tire-making apparatus comprising a tire-mold, a bead-closingring, and a porous core-structure adapted to lie within the tire and movable therein with relation to the bead-closing ring.

18. Tire-making apparatus as defined in claim ii in which the bead-closing ring and the porous cmestructure are formed to interlock with each other against movement in a direction parallel to their axes.

l9. Tireanalring apparatus comprising a core member and means for forcing a flow 21. llire-n'ialcing apparatus comprising a sectional core and means tor liniiting out ward n'iovement of the sections of the core when they are assembled as an annulus, each of the said sections comprising a hollow body formed with apertures in its wall, all of theaper-tures being bridged by porous material. 7

22. llire-making apparatus comprising a sectional, substantially rigid core and a beadwlosing ring adapted to occupy the tire and to define between them a circumferential conduit, a mass of plastic tire distendin material. means for conductin the a 0 a I b a plastic tire-distend'ing material into. saidv conduit atone part thereof, and closure means at another part of said conduit adapted to permit escape of air through a pz' in said bead-closing ring but to prevent the passage of the said plastic ma terial theretliirough.

23. A. tire-building core comprising an outer surface portion of plaster of Paris and a porosity-reducing filler therein.

241. it. tll'G-LliSliQl'lCllHQf material comprising a mixture of clay, water and water-grlass In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand t'his 29th day of January, 192-7.. 

